The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Illicium parviflorum, botanically known as Illicium ‘PIIIP-I’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘PIIIP-I’. ‘PIIIP-I’ represents a new evergreen shrub grown for landscape use.
The new cultivar of Illicium arose from an ongoing breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Watkinsville, Ga. ‘PIIIP-I’ originated as a seedling that arose from seed planted from the open pollination of Illicium parviflorum ‘Florida Sunshine’ (not patented) in 2009. ‘PIIIP-I’ was selected as a single unique plant in 2011 from amongst the resulting seedlings.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by one of the Inventors using semi-hardwood cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2011. Asexual propagation by semi-hardwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.